Van Buren fair opens Sunday with traditional gospel-sing

Jul 09, 2014

KEOSAUQUA — The 2014 Van Buren County Fair opens Sunday and continues through July 21 on the fairgrounds in Keosauqua.

The 2014 fair is dedicated in memory of Carlton Ebert, Jerry Plowman and Nancy Zeitler. Ebert, Plowman and Zeitler had served on the Van Buren County Fair Board, spent many hours helping youth with 4-H and FFA projects and had a vision of making the Van Buren County Fair the best fair possible.

Although the fair officially opens Sunday, clothing event judging is set for 9 a.m. Thursday.

The traditional gospel-singing program to open the fair is set for 1:30 p.m. Sunday in the Roberts Memorial Building. Everyone is invited to participate as a soloist, countywide choir member or audience member.

The gospel-singing program Sunday will be followed by communication judging at 3 p.m. and a demolition derby at 6 p.m. For information about the demo derby, call Steve Hopwood at 641-208-6875, Justin Boley at 641-680-179 or James Thomes at 919-5904.

Monday’s highlights include the Junior Miss and Fair Queen contests at 6:30 p.m. in the Roberts Memorial Building. For information about the contests, call Jill Chaplin at 641-680-5690, Karen Workman at 319-293-3808 or Naomi Beckman at 319-293-6280.

Tuesday’s highlights include the 4-H/FFA and Open K-3 cat and pet show at 5 p.m. in the Roberts Memorial Building, followed by the 4-H/FFA and Open K-3 dog show at 7 p.m.

July 16 highlights include the arrival and weigh-in of 4-H/FFA livestock beginning at 9 a.m.

July 17 highlights include the 4-H/FFA and Open K-3 sheep and meat goat shows at 8 a.m., the 4-H/FFA dairy show at 11 a.m. and the 4H/FFA and Open K-3 horse show at 6 p.m. in the show barn. The Harmony-Van Buren FFA plan to serve a meal at 5 p.m.

July 18 kicks off with the 4-H/FFA swine show, including the Kenneth Johnson Memorial Scholarship presentation, at 8 a.m. in the show barn. The 4-H/FFA and Open K-3 poultry show is set for 3 p.m. in the poultry barn, and the Van Buren 4-H Youth Council plans to serve a meal at 5 p.m.

The grandstand event will be a truck and tractor pull. Sign-in will be from 4-6:30 p.m., with the pull beginning at 7 p.m. Rules and fees are posted on the fair’s website at www.vbco.vanburencountyfair.com. Information also is available from Wayne Coffman at 919-2471 and Terry McLaine at 641-777-9822.

July 19 begins with the 4-H/FFA beef show at 8 a.m. in the show barn, followed by the Open K-3 nursing calf show. The 4-H/FFA and Open K-3 rabbit show is set for 3 p.m. in the rabbit barn. The Van Buren County Cattlemen are serving a meal at 5 p.m.

A cattle dog trial demonstration is planned at 6 p.m., followed by a rodeo presented by Crazy 3 Buck’n Bulls & Cattle Company LLC at 7 p.m. in the grandstand. Call-in for the rodeo is 6-9 p.m. Monday to 919-1387. The rodeo will include bull riding, steer riding, junior bulls, barrel racing and mutton bustin’. Rules and entry fees can be found at the fair’s website www.vbco.vanburencountyfair.com. Information also is available from Rodger Deao at 919-1387 or Tony Wilson at 919-7267.

July 20 is Kids Day. Highlights include community worship at 9 a.m. in the shelter by the fair office. A fun horse show begins at 10 a.m. A conservation exhibit and petting zoo will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Big Bear Puppets will perform from 12:30-2:30 p.m. Registration for a pedal-tractor will be at 1 p.m., with the pull starting at 1:30 p.m. Happy Train rides and a bounce house will be set p from 2-5 p.m. Livestock and exhibits will be released the evening of July 20.

The fair will wrap up July 21 with the Marcie Carr Memorial Award and Outstanding Shepherd presentation at 4 p.m., a meal served by the fair board at 5:30 p.m. and the 4-H/FFA livestock sale at 7 p.m.

For updated information about the 2014 Van Buren County Fair, visit the website www.vbco.vanburencountyfair.com.